Portable flash memory drives have become so popular they now seem nearly ubiquitous. Portable flash memory drives are data storage devices used, for example, to save electronic digital data such as music, files, texts, multimedia files, graphics, and so forth. Portable flash memory drives are both compact and portable, often carried in purses, pockets, on key chains, and on lanyards around one's neck. Typically, portable flash memory drives have large storage capacities and offer stability and durability against data corruption and physical damage. A preferred standard in portable flash memory drives is the USB (Universal Serial Bus). USB flash drives are useful to transfer electronic data.
Related utility patents known in the art include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,638, issued to Jones et al. on Aug. 20, 2002, discloses a flashtoaster for reading several types of flash-memory cards with or without a PC.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,329, issued to Yang on May 11, 2004, discloses a USB flash drive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,281, issued to Jones et al. on Dec. 14, 2004, discloses a flashtoaster for reading several types of flash-memory cards with or without a PC.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,044, issued to Chou et al. on Mar. 29, 2005, discloses a flash drive/reader with serial-port controller and flash-memory controller mastering a second RAM-buffer bus parallel to a CPU bus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,618, issued to Chen et al. on Jan. 31, 2006, discloses a dual-mode flash storage exchanger that transfers flash-card data to a removable USB flash key-drive with or without a PC host.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,103,684, issued to Chen et al. on Sep. 5, 2006, discloses a single-chip USB controller reading power-on boot code from integrated flash memory for user storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,205, issued to Jones et al. on May 22, 2007, discloses a flashtoaster for reading several types of flash-memory cards with or without a PC.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,278,051, issued to Mambakkam et al. on Oct. 2, 2007, discloses a field-operable, stand-alone apparatus for media recovery and regeneration.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,337, issued to Lee et al. on Oct. 12, 2010, discloses a secure flash-memory card reader with host-encrypted data on a flash-controller-mastered bus parallel to a local CPU bus carrying encrypted hashed password and user ID.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,153, issued to Lin et al. on Feb. 12, 2008, discloses an audio output device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,859, issued to Dayan on Jul. 15, 2008, discloses a combined modulator and MP3 player having socket power supply adapter and/or universal connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,425, issued to Regen et al. on Jul. 4, 2006, discloses a thumb drive with retractable USB connector.
Related design patents known in the art include the following:
U.S. Patent No. D562,819, issued to Yu et al. on Feb. 26, 2008, discloses the ornamental design for a memory card reader.
U.S. Patent No. D569,375, issued to Yu et al. on Feb. 26, 2008, discloses the ornamental design for a memory card reader.
Related patent application publications known in the art include the following:
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0191920, filed by Regen et al. and published on Jul. 30, 2009, discloses a multi-function electronic ear piece.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0198355, filed by Powell and published on Aug. 6, 2009, discloses an ear-mounted MP3 player with radio and remote control.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0020443, filed by Kesselman and published on Jan. 22, 2009, discloses a credit card carrying pack for rolling papers having a USB drive.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0133832, filed by Bhavnani and published on Jun. 5, 2008, discloses a flash drive-radio combination.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0288169, filed by Steiner and published on Dec. 21, 2006, discloses a lighter apparatus with data storage capabilities and a data transfer interface.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0217150, filed by Chen and published on Sep. 28, 2006, discloses a multi-function remote controller.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0084929, filed by Watanabe et al. and published on Apr. 19, 2007, discloses a bar code reader with a music player.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0069456, filed by Stringer et al. and published on Mar. 30, 2006, discloses a portable audio player.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0064185, filed by Yeh and published on Mar. 23, 2006, discloses a structure of removable storage media player.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0079738, filed by Ahn and published on Apr. 14, 2005, discloses a USB storage device including USB plug with top and bottom terminals.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0288804, filed by Peng and published on Dec. 29, 2005, discloses a USB music player capable of receiving at least one portable memory.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0165302, filed by Lu and published on Aug. 26, 2004, discloses a structure of a multi-purpose thumb-like hard disk device.
Related non-patent literature known in the art includes the following:
Royal EZVue Vista USB Drive, found online, http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story—5729.html.
KJB, D1400 USB Flash Drive & Voice Recorder 2 GB, found online, http://www.surveillance-video.com/d1400.html?productid=d1400@channelid=FROOG.
Retractable Biometric USB Flash Drive with USB Screen, found online, http://www.mydigitallife.infoketractable-biometric-usb-flashdrive-with-oled-screen/.
The foregoing patent and other information reflect the state of the art of which the inventor is aware and are tendered with a view toward discharging the inventor's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be pertinent to the patentability of the technology described herein. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoing patent and other information do not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventor's claimed invention.